Venison, golden beetroot, potato croquette, Jerusalem artichoke puree, beetroot puree

The main course of the evening we had simply billed as a mystery ‘A Surprise for the Senses’. A mystery that wouldn’t even be revealed until the plate was delivered to the table. We had organised for the waiting staff to hand out blindfolds and I would then explain to the guest that this course was to be savored and enjoyed using only the sense of taste and smell and of course touch. 

This worked well, with some people and others just couldn’t adjust to sitting in a room full of strangers, blindfolded and trying to work out what they were eating.

What this did achieve was a room full of nervous excitement and a great buzz throughout the dining room. We have done many blindfold dinners at the Merchant hotel, but never to the scale of 90 diners in one go. I think all will agree, whether they loved it or hated it, it definitely gave the room something to talk about.

Ingredients;

For the venison;

1kg wild venison loin, trimmed of all fat and sinew

1tblsp juniper berries

50g rosemary leaves only

250g blackberries

1tsp Maldon salt

For the beetroot;

2 large golden beetroot washed well

1ltr water

100ml red wine

50ml red port

50ml sherry vinegar

40g sugar

Seasoning

For the beetroot puree;

400g beetroot trimmings

3tblsp olive oil

2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves only

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Jerusalem artichoke puree;

500g Jerusalem artichokes, peeled
500ml whole milk
30g butter

1-2tblsp double cream

For the potato croquettes;

1kg Maris piper or Desiree potatoes, peeled

20g butter

1 egg beaten

Maldon salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

100g wild mushrooms, cooked in butter and drained

100g softened butter

2 eggs lightly beaten

1cup plain flour

1 cup dried breadcrumbs

Maldon salt to taste

To serve;

Red wine jus

Method;

For the venison;

Cut the venison loin in half each weighing 500g each.

Place the juniper berries and rosemary into a mortar and bash to a coarse paste with a pestle. Add the black berries and salt and mash again very lightly. Lay the venison onto a tray and rub all over with the paste that has just been made. Place the venison into plastic vac pak bags and seal in the vac machine to remove all of the air and force the marinade into the meat.

Leave the meat to marinade for 24 hours.

The meat will be cooked in the bags in a water bath at 42c on the night of service.

For the beetroot;

Place the beetroot, water, red wine, port, sherry vinegar and sugar into a medium size pan.

Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer, simmer the beetroot for 1½ hours or until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the heat and allow the beetroot to cool in the stock. When cool enough to handle peel the beetroot. Cut the beetroot into even dices all the same size. Keep all of the beetroot trimmings for the puree.

For the beetroot puree;

Place the beetroot into a food processor and blend to a purée, slowly trickle in the oil to emulsify. Add the thyme and the seasoning and set aside. Cool and store in the fridge.

For the Jerusalem artichoke puree;

Cut the Jerusalem artichokes into chunks, and then put them in a pan with the milk. Bring the milk to a simmer and cook the artichokes for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft.

Strain the artichokes, reserving the hot milk, and transfer to a food processor.

Add the butter and blend for a few minutes until smooth, adding a splash of the milk, if necessary. Push the purée through a fine sieve back into the pan and season well. Stir in the cream and heat gently until you have a thick purée. Keep hot.

For the potato croquettes;

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium heat and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and place through a ricer. Stir through butter, egg and seasoning and mix until smooth; set aside to cool

Coarsely chop the mushroom and mix with the softened butter. Put potato mixture into refrigerator and chill until firm.

Place egg, plain flour and breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes.

Roll the potato mixture into small oval croquette shapes and dip each croquettes into egg, then flour and then into breadcrumbs.

Cook croquettes, in a deep fat fryer in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper and season to taste with Maldon salt and keep hot.

To serve;

Place a water bath on at 42c or this can be achieved with a pan of water , probed at 42c. Place the venison into the water bath for 1 hour.

Place a pan large enough to hold the two pieces of venison over high heat. Add a little olive oil. Remove the venison from the vac bags and drain well. Seal the venison all over very quickly in the pans, remember the venison will be cooked to perfection in the water bath; we are only trying to seal the meat and cook all over until golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Place a pan over medium heat and add a little olive oil, season the beetroot squares with salt and pepper and roast until golden in the hot oil.

Spoon the cold beetroot puree onto the top of the plate. Spoon the hot artichoke puree onto the bottom of the plate.

Slice each venison into 9 slices and place three slices per plate in-between the purees.

Cut the croquettes in half and place two halves per plate, drizzle with a little red wine jus.

Place 4 golden beetroot squares into the purees.

Give your guest a blindfold and serve.

Don’t tell then the flavours and let them all try and guess, it’s great fun.